Disclaimer: Do I look like a talented Greg Weisman, Edward Kitsis, or Adam Horowitz to you? Seriously I'm a female anyway.

Look Both Ways

Team Year 2: 2012
Enchanted Forest
July 4, 5:45 EST

"...Happy Independence Day."

Superboy arched an eyebrow at Nightwing as they finished gathering their meager supplies. "Really?"

"What? I've been keeping track." Nightwing straightened himself up as Roy looked over from where he was slinging a pack over his shoulder. "Also, happy psuedo-birthday to you, Supey."

Conner's eyes dulled slightly, but then brightened. "Thanks, Wing."

"No prob, Kon."

Roy hardly blinked as Barry sped up beside him. "Their brother thing is so cute."

"And you're weird."

"Touche."

They stood in silence for a moment, four heads watching the sun rise in the distance. A castle was silhouetted against it - the only castle they had seen for miles, for days. It was dark and ominous looking, but each day they got closer and closer to the thing. Maybe, just maybe, they'd luck out.

Or not, Nightwing thought as a blonde with a sword crashed through the brush.

Said blonde with a sword looked at them, blinked, and then sheathed his sword. "Uh, sorry. Thought you were someone else."

Flash, being the quickest to recover (no surprise), shrugged in reply. "Hey, it's all good. Er, you know who lives at that castle?"

Blonde sword guy looked up at said castle, frowning. "Uh. Yeah. That's the Dark One's castle. Only...only those looking to deal with him dare venture-"

"Perfect!" Nightwing cackled. "C'mon, maybe he'll be willing to make a deal!" He grabbed Roy and Conner, who both indignantly yelped, and began dragging them away - who knew a seemingly-scrawny fifteen-year-old had enough power to drag a much larger clone and a much heavier Kryptonian? Sword guy arched an eyebrow in both astonishment and amusement as Flash sighed.

"I'm called Flash," he said conversationally. "The guy with arrows is appropriately called Red Arrow, the guy with the red symbol on his shirt is known as Superboy, and Mr. Creepy Laughter who dragged them off is Nightwing."

"Er - I'm - my real name is David." He paused. "Everyone calls me Charming. Except the King, who adopted my twin brother and then had me pose as him when he was killed..." noticing the look Flash was giving him, the prince shrugged. "Yeah, my life's messed up. You seen a girl with a bow and arrows and long black hair around by any chance?"

"No, sorry," Flash offered, beginning to walk briskly after the younger three. Charming fell in beside him, not seeming to care where they were going for the moment. "You're welcome to tag along, though. We're also looking for others. Maybe we'll get lucky and run into-"

"Hey Flash, we found Alpha squad! And...uh, what's your name? And some girl named Snow White."

Flash resisted the urge to facepalm. "Yeah, nevermind. We always get lucky, it seems."

Team Year 5: 2016
Storybrooke, Maine
July 7, 11:38 EST

"So, then I tripped over my surfboard and landed in front of everyone and - surprise, surprise, my friends were laughing their heads off while our mentors just glared - well, I'm pretty sure Dinah was laughing inside, but anyway, I look up and there's these beautiful grey eyes staring down into mine-"

"Love at first sight?"

"Eh, kind of? We immediately got into a squabble-"

Wally cut off as he heard the door open. Be-Rose peeked out from behind him - he was sitting at the foot of her bed - to watch as Regina stepped into the room. "Hello, I- Oh. Hello, Mr. West."

"Mayor Mills," Wally replied coolly, green eyes hardening. "To what do we owe the displeasure?"

"Um..." Wally spared a glance back at Rose, who was looking quite concerned. "Who is she?"

Wally's head whipped back to Regina, who was smirking at him from the doorway. "She," he hissed, surprising both women with the amount of malice his voice contained, "is of no concern to you. Nor should she be here at all."

Regina scoffed. "I'm insulted, Mr. West."

"Can't you just call me Wally? Mr. West makes me sound old."

Regina's eyes narrowed, and Wally stood up from the bed. "Rose, I'm afraid I'll have to cut today's visit a bit short," he said, trying to keep his voice calm. "I'll finish that story another time. Meanwhile, I'll see the Mayor out."

Rose simply watched as Wally forced Regina out the door, making sure she didn't drop anything that might become Belle's undoing. Once he shut the door behind him, he hissed, "You are not welcome anywhere near her!"

"Obviously," Regina retorted with a roll of her eyes. "I-"

"Was going to try and make her believe she was someone she wasn't," Wally finished. "Save it, Mayor Mills. I can read you like a book."

"Is that so?" Regina studied the boy for a moment, before hissing, "Stay out of my way."

"Only if you stay out of mine. And Rum's. And Belle's."

Regina said nothing, only stared him in the eye for a few more moments before simply turning and walking away. Wally leaned against a wall, sighing.

He was going to have to get working on that game plan.

Team Year 2: 2012
Dark Castle
July 4, 12:07 EST

"Why are you so interested in getting me to learn magic?"

Rumpel started, golden eyes darting over to where Wally leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. The imp said nothing, and the speedster straightened and walked forward a few paces.

"It's not like I have much magic in my core. You said so yourself a few days ago. You're teaching Zatanna and she's gotten really, really good, and Billy's learning really quickly in both his forms. You obviously have no interest in Jason, since he's got no magic whatsoever, which is fine because 'Wing would kill me if I let anything happen to him. But back to my point - with two pupils already, why me?"

Rumpelstiltskin stared at Wally for a few more moments before replying, "You're special, Wally West. I don't know why, but you are. You are the key to something greater than you could possibly imagine."

Wally's eyes narrowed. "Cryptic. I don't buy it."

Rumpel rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't expect you to. You're - what? 17? 18? But you're special - it's why I was generous in dealing with you and your friends."

Wally's eyes widened slightly at this, but Rumpel continued on regardless. "Whether you learn magic or not, you're a key element in my future - in the future of my world. You pop up again about three years from now, after a mission gone wrong in your world. You help me as a way to repay me, and in the end it saves the lives of countless people." At Wally's questioning look, the imp continued, "I've got the power of foresight, dearie. I know."

"Alright, whatever." Wally plopped down next to Rumpelstiltskin, startling the Dark One even more. "So, whatchya workin' on?"

"...Alchemy. Potions. You wouldn't understand."

"It's like chemistry, isn't it? Mixing two or more substances to get a completely different product? Mind showing me how it works - as part of this 'deal' or whatever?"

When Belle came up to hesitantly knock on the door to tell them supper was ready several hours later, she found speedster and Dark One talking about personal going-ons over a brewing pot of who-knows-what. As Jason poked his head in the doorway from behind her, she simply smiled and closed the door, beginning to ask Jason more about his home as they descended the stairs. Supper could wait. That was much more important.

Dark Castle gardens
July 4, 19:30 EST

Zatanna allowed herself to float above the ground as she continuously murmured an incantation under her breath. "Tel em kaeps ot rotcoD etaF...tel em kaeps ot rotcoD etaF..." Directly across from her, Billy was sitting in the same position, not floating (yet) but eyes glowing blue (despite the fact that no one could see his eyes at the moment) and sparks beginning to run across his body.

"TEL EM KAEPS OT ROTCOD ETAF!"

For both of them, the world lit up in an intense light - blue for Billy, white for Zatanna - and then they were floating together in a black empty void.

"Zatanna?"

"Yeah Billy?"

"Did it work?"

A bright flash of yellow light erupted from in front of them. When it cleared, they gasped at what they saw.

"...Yeah."

The helmet of Fate floated in front of them, no body or human host ( - no dad, Zatanna thought silently - ), just a floating golden helmet.

"Zatanna Zatara and William Batson."

And a booming, otherworldly voice.

"Nabu," Zatanna greeted, stepping - floating - forward slightly. "We...we are in another dimension and cannot get home. You know of the portals we investigated-"

"Indeed, young one. And you slipped through. But I cannot bring you home."

"Not without permission!" Billy piped up. "Rumpelstiltskin, the current Dark One, said that you have his permission to take all of us home!"

The Lord of Order was silent for a moment, glowing a faint yellow. Finally the glow dimmed slightly and Nabu spoke: "Indeed, he has... Contact me again when all of you are in one place. I will bring you home."

And in another bright flash of light they all vanished, as Zatanna whispered, "Thank you...dad."

Team Year 5: 2016
Storybrooke, Maine
July 5, 9:09 EST

"Reul Ghorm, listen. I know you don't like any of us much, but don't you have any idea how I can help Belle?"

The fairy sighed, shaking her head. "I am sorry, child, but it is currently beyond my power."

"Currently?"

"...There was a lake, in our homeland, that had the power to restore what one had lost. Here, it is a wishing well deep in the forest, but after what last happened there..." She shook her head. "No. I will be able to find a cure soon, but as of right now..."

"That's okay, thanks anyway." Wally sped off before she could reply, muttering to himself, "I've already got something in mind..."

Watchtower
July 6, 9:26 EST

"Everyone ready?"

The small group, consisting of two magic-users, a speedster, two normal humans, a kid with an alien AI attached to his spine, and a Lord or Order, nodded in unison, and Nightwing turned to the Lord of Order. "Alright...Fate, are you sure you should be travelling with us though?"

"No."

"That's reassuring," Billy mumbled under his breath. Bart gave him a not-so-gentle shove.

"But I can go into this dimension without any repercussions. It is not wise...but..."

"Then why come with us?" Artemis asked softly. Anyone who was listening could hear a soft sigh - not from Nabu, but from Giovanni.

"Because it is right."

And in a flash of light, all that remained of them was a glowing ankh - until that, too, disappeared.

I love me cliffhangers!

LIKE TONIGHT'S PREMIERE EPISODE OMG!

Season 3...one episode in and it's already going to kill me.

But, so...yeah I got this thing figured out. Obviously. I got this, guys. It's all good.

...Well I have it planned to the end of season 2. Hopefully I won't take too long in getting there. After that it's all up in the air.

Until next time, my friends!